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Show Thanks grads! Editor: I would like to take this opportunity oppor-tunity to thank the graduating classes in our state who voted for prayer in their exercises. This took a great deal of courage to stand up for what they believed to be right. Parents and teachers must have been worthy examples in their lives, j I believe and hope this will be a life-long example in determining the values they choose in their life. The moral values of honesty, integrity in-tegrity and virtue are hard to find in our world today and a prime reason is the decision to ban prayer and the philosophy under the so-called separation of church and state. Our nation is a nation "Under God." We get our "unalienable rights" from the Creator, not from any government. History and writings of our Founding Fathers were guarding guar-ding against a state church and the persecution they had in their former lands. We all know how the First Amendment reads: Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment estab-lishment of religion or prohibit the free exercise thereof. Nothing could be plainer. In 1787, the year the Constitution was written, the NorthWest Ordinance Or-dinance was written. Article No. 3 of the document states, Religion, Morality and Knowledge, being necessary to good government and happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged. This was further reemphasized by President George Washington in his farewell address. He wrote: "Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supportsAnd sup-portsAnd let us with caution indulge in-dulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion.. .Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail to the exclusion of religious principles." It is substantially true that virtue or morality is a necessary spring of popular government. ' Benjamin Franklin expressed or implied five basic fundamental beliefs, common to most religions in the world: Recognition and worship wor-ship of a Creator; the Creator has revealed moral laws for happy living liv-ing which distinguishes right from wrong; the Creator holds man responsible for the way they treat each other, That mankind live beyond the grave; In the next life we are judged for our conduct in this one. Humanism, a religion, is being taught in our school, especially, in high education by liberal professors. pro-fessors. The doctrine is in direct opposition to the above; they teach of no God, no life after death or Divine retribution, no moral values of right or wrong, just do your own thing. Is there any wonder we have the problems we have today with our youth. Thanks again, young t graduates-maybe you can make a better world. Kathryn Hess West Bountiful Great support Editor: We, the James Stephenson Family, Fami-ly, would like to publicly thank our Bountiful community as well as our whole state of Utah for the overwhelming over-whelming support and love given to us in the recent loss of our son Dion. Your cards, letters, flowers, meals and generous contributions to both the flag pole and Dion's Scholarship Fund are greatly appreciated. appre-ciated. It is such a kind expression of community support to our family and has touched our hearts and will not be forgotten. Our thoughts have often reflected on the many children and concerned citizens who lined the streets as the cortege drove to the cemetery, as well as signs of support throughout the city, giving us a sense of the patriotism our state of Utah has. We are truly fortunate to live in a community com-munity such as we do. We want to thank those companies and individuals in-dividuals who donated their time and service as well as our wonderful wonder-ful government officials who were there to give us any aid possible. We could not think of a more fitting tribute to our son than your noble show of community spirit and patriotism. Thank you all. |